Stink Bugs: Back in the News

For a while, stink bugs seemed to disappear.  It was almost as if they took a vacation.  But they’re starting to crop up in the news again, as farmers report bug sightings as far away as Idaho and Oregon.  And some folks are predicting a fall season like 2010.

We know that stink bugs make their way out of homes in the spring to feed, mate, lay eggs and die.  The new generation grows up and continues munching on crops before they make their way indoors and take shelter from the cold.

Right now, the concern is for farmers and their crops. A bigger stink population means more damage to fruits and vegetables. Stink bugs insert their proboscis into the produce and suck the juices out, rendering it unsellable.  Oregon, home to many orchards, is one of the newest areas to be threatened by stink bugs.

Farmers rely on increased pesticide use to combat the bug, but stink bugs are quite resistant to conventional pest control protocols.  Because of crop shortages and expensive pesticides, prices go up, and you feel the pinch the next time you’re shopping for apples and peaches.

Do you think the predictions will come true and we’ll have a stinkpocalypse this year? Have you seen the price of produce go up in your area due to stink bug damage? Let us know in the comments!

Different Flavors

We’re excited to announce the newest “flavors” of n^th Solutions!

The President’s Blog, written by Eric Canfield, will feature his thoughts from everything from business and innovation to Twinkies.  Read all about it here.

The Engineers’ Whiteboard is a collaboration of several of n^th’s engineers.  The blog will feature their different takes on inventing and life.  Check out Scott, A.J. and Jim’s wisdom here.

Stinkin’ Up The News – Wednesday Edition

Here are a few news bits about the shield-shaped invaders, gathered from various news sources.

The warm weather is bringing out the critters:

http://articles.nydailynews.com/2012-03-27/news/31246312_1_stink-bugs-halyomorpha-insects

For another take on the weather, record heat means beaucoup bugs:

http://articles.businessinsider.com/2012-03-27/news/31242915_1_brown-marmorated-stink-bug-halyomorpha-bean-and-soybean

Spring is really bugging New Yorkers:

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/03/22/us/early-spring-brings-flowers-but-also-pollen-and-pests.html

Stink bugs are on the march to the Deep South:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/national/health-science/stink-bugs-migrating-to-the-deep-south/2012/03/15/gIQA2noTHS_story.html

And they’re rearing their ugly heads in Maryland:

http://www.wtop.com/?nid=41&sid=2815925

Allentown and The Great Hitchhiker

When we talk about stink bugs, we often speak of them as an invasive species.  Outside, they decimate whatever agriculture they can nibble on, causing millions in crop damage and drawing the ire of farmers.  Inside, they make themselves a nuisance to homeowners with their haphazard, clumsy flight and noxious odor.  Yes, it’s easy to feel invaded.  But stink bugs may view themselves more like biological tourists – they must have really liked the song “Allentown” by Billy Joel, because they felt they needed to stow away aboard a cargo container from Asia in the late 1990’s and see this mystical Pennsylvania town for themselves.  Watch the stink bugs’ American adventure unfold in our newest video: The Great Hitchhiker.

All joking aside, stink bugs have spread quickly to 36 states in the last few years. They’ve taken a shine to the warmer climates, and are rapidly expanding throughout the southeastern United States.  It’s there that farmers grow tons of tasty snacks that are perfect for stink bugs – soybeans, for one.  Stink bugs will also be happy to take up residence in the Midwest’s Corn Belt, since corn is a choice morsel for stink bugs.

Our main concern is homeowners: people driven absolutely batty by the smelly, shield-shaped invaders.  Whether they’re flying into your hair, crawling on your toddler or dive-bombing you while you sleep, we want to help.  Feel free to email us or interact with us on Twitter.

Tesla vs. Edison: An nth Solutions Cage Match

n^th Solutions combines a whole lot of research and innovation, a dash of logistics and a smidgen mad scientist. But with eyes firmly fixed on the future, we tip our hat to the past. And two names provide constant fuel for debate: Thomas Edison and Nikola Tesla. 

For a quick introduction to the two pioneers, please see these articles. But who would win in a cage match? We polled some of the staff, and here are their responses:

Scott: What? It’s a toss-up.

Bob A.: You’ve got two opposite geniuses. On a physical level, Edison was kind of a wiry guy, and Tesla… well, a lot of people don’t know about him as much. I’d be glad to meet either one of them.
 

Ernie: Tesla, because Edison had to hire him.
 

Laura: Tesla. In a heartbeat. Because he’s better looking, and looks like a boxer. (She had to take a minute to look at the two pictures and decide.) 

Eric: For business, Edison. Technology? Tesla. Tesla was a flat-out genius. And when it comes to integrity, Tesla. In terms of business and self-promotion? Edison. 

A.J.: My uneducated decision would be that the fight would be unbelievably pathetic because neither of them are actually trained fighters – unless weapons are permitted in the fight, in which case I think Tesla would win with some sort of weapon that emitted a deadly amount of voltage.

Which inventor do you think would win in a cage match? Let us know in the comments or on Twitter.

Why U.S. Manufacturing?

In his third State of the Union address, President Obama emphasized the importance of American manufacturing.  Political affiliations and ideologies aside, the topic of American innovation and manufacturing is especially important to us at n^th Solutions.

“Proudly and 100% Made in the USA” isn’t a tagline we toss around lightly.  It’s the core of our business.  Because we manufacture all of our products at our Exton, Pa., facility, we can deliver product into the marketplace quickly.  (No waiting for the slow boat from Asia!)  We can maintain tight quality control, and best of all, employ American workers and keep jobs here.  We’d rather hire several workers at a fair wage than produce a lower-cost item in a foreign factory with dubious working conditions.  And it’s better for the environment to source and ship material domestically.  Check out our Made in the USA video on Youtube!

Some say that shifting manufacturing overseas would be more cost-effective.  Yes, it would be cheaper, but the long term benefits of retaining domestic manufacturing can’t be denied.

What do you think about manufacturing in the United States?  If you were president, how would you go about improving the economy?  Let us know in the comments, or catch up with us on Twitter.

Spring Stink Bug Infestation Facts

In September 2011, after several years of research and development, n^th Solutions introduced The Original Indoor Stink Bug Trap – the first in its line of stink bug control products.

Pennsylvania is ground zero for the Brown Marmorated Stink Bug, an invasive species from Asia.  But stink bugs aren’t just hanging out in Pennsylvania.  Instead, stink bugs are rapidly migrating across the country, eager to snack on the country’s rich agriculture.  They become an indoor pest as they invade homes and businesses first in the fall when they look to overwinter (sort of like hibernating), and again in the spring when they trek back outside.

In the last few weeks, stink bugs have started to come out of overwintering in the Mid-Atlantic region.  They’ve become a nuisance to homeowners as they make their way outside to feed, mate and lay eggs.  And the media have increasingly covered the stink bug infestation as consumers get more irritated by the invasive pest.

What’s a homeowner to do?  The easiest, no-gimmick way to get rid of stink bugs is to place an Original Indoor Stink Bug Trap where you see the most stink bugs inside.  Attics are often a prime hiding place for the bugs, too.  You can see our easy setup video here.

Of course, if you prefer communing with the smelly, shield-shaped intruders, feel free to “be one with nature” and practice stink bug yoga.